HELLO THERE!
What a brilliant two months it has been.
Without doubt one of the happiest times of my life.
An immense growing experience.
I have loved every second of Strictly and even though I am now out of the show until the final in December the show has helped me set new standards in my life.
New fitness, new mind set, new life approach. It has been A MASSIVE healing experience. 2024 has been quite a tough year and the team at Strictly have helped me get back on track.
In April, after my dance audition I experienced sudden nerve damage in my lower legs, and no one could pin point the cause. My brain scans where clear. So most likely caused by lack of activity having spent hours and hours stuck at a desk over the past three years, running the band or just a simple injury, on the day of my audition no trains were running and I walked three miles to get to the audition…..not ideal!
Thankfully over the last two months everything has returned to normal, and I AM HUGELY GRATEFUL. The training regime has healed me! It appears physical exertion, over seven hours a day, has restored me to full mobility and I intend to keep going with this because physical activity suits me big time.
IT’S TRUE WHAT THEY SAY…USE IT OR LOOSE IT.
I had two aims in Strictly, to do well and I believe I played my role respectfully, I went in with no prior training and developed on every show.
The second aim was to give women of my age encouragement and visibility……….when I came out I questioned whether I had achieved this YET after the elimination show my achievement started to make itself evident.
- SAFFRON has asked me to collaborate with her.
- GEMMA NUMAN has said it has inspired her.
- LOIS NORMAN…WEIGHTLESS……thanked me for the positivity of my work.
- LOUSIE MANAGHAN….WEIGHTLESS….again thanked me for the positivity of my role.PLUS, ALL THE WOMEN I HAVE WORKED WITH OVER THE DECADES HAVE MADE CONTACT AND SAID THANK YOU.
DAVID P CARROLL….POET sent a beautiful poem that certainly lifted my soul.
SARA AND GARY WILMOT……..cheering for me from their living room.
MEMBERS OF STATUS QUO…..congratulating me.
It has been a privilege and great opportunities have followed.
My most magical memories will be the bubble of the rehearsal room, away from the eyes of the world, super focussed on learning and feeling myself develop strongly.
I adored working with Neil. I adored his physical build and his age, again this says so much to men of all ages.
His love of his daughter and his wife to be filled the room and his creativity, intelligence and kindness has inspired me to be a better artist. Neil is exceptionally good with people. I am super guarded. He encouraged me to let that guard down and trust in people’s intentions.
As I mentioned the beginning of this year had its challenges, but 2023 was even more challenging, I will reserve this story for my next book but the psychological abuse heaped on me by just one person employed in our team made me even more determined to impress on women to be strong, fearless and shine a light of truth.
Lastly I want to say that ALL the pro dancers were an absolute dream to be with.
The girls are all divine, kind and giving.
The boys, again all of the above, are super aware of respect towards the celebs.
I adore Nancy, who when I was talking to Claudia after my Jive was holding her fingers in the “L” shape behind Claudia’s back and I couldn’t stop laughing because I thought she was calling me a looser……Nancy in fact, mixing up cultural meanings, was saying she loved me and the jive. She is such a gorgeous person as are all the team.
Tonight, I get home. I get to see my friends who I have not seen since mid-July.
I get to hold my husband who I have missed so much, he allowed me to immerse myself 100% into the demands of Strictly.
AND I get to be TOYAH again.
AND I can start writing.
In July I bought an old water mill…….So far I’ve only spent one night in it….this is my sacred creative space……….and this is where I will be…..alone with the King Fishers.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
BE LOUD, BE PROUD, BE HEARD.
LOVE TOYAH
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